FACT Qatar Dining Awards Doha 2015

The hospitality sector in Doha has an exciting evening ahead on Monday night as FACT Qatar holds their inaugural FACT Qatar Dining Awards.

Nominations have been ongoing for a few weeks now, and the winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at the Doha Marriot Hotel.

Over 250 guests have been invited as 54 awards are given out over 27 categories. Qatar Living.com is proud to be a media sponsor for this event, along with Maserati Doha.

Each category will be given two awards, divided into a popular choice decided through online voting, and a critics’ choice decided by an independent panel of Qatar-based bloggers and industry experts.

FACT Magazine has held similar award ceremonies before in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, but this will be the first time FACT will hold an event recognising local Doha eateries.

The Publishing Director of FACT M.E.’s parent company, Edward Smith, indicated his pleasure at holding the event in Qatar: “The FACT Dining Awards is our way of giving back to an industry which has given us so much enjoyment over the years…it’s a pleasure for us to invite all of these venues to enjoy a night of the same with us, and to recognise the tremendous job that they do through the FACT Dining Awards.”

The team at FACT Qatar embarked on an epic ‘road-trip’ in a Maserati. Their aim was to highlight all the nominated venues, and they posted selfies at each location on their social media channels.

Starting in the morning with Grand Hyatt Doha, they covered all 150 nominated venues, and finished late in the evening with Nandos Qatar.

Keep reading to find out who has made the FACT Qatar shortlist.

FACT Qatar Dining Award Criteria:

• FACT Qatar has chosen 25 categories, and will have two winners in each category.
• There will be a ‘Best’ Award which is decided by FACT Qatar’s panel of reviewers.
• There will also be a second winner with the ‘Favourite’ Award, which is voted for by the public – although the original shortlist has been decided by FACT Qatar.

-Please note that whilst the images below are of nominated venues they are not the winners, nor are we endorsing these venues over the other nominated venues. Good luck to all the 150 venues from Qatar Living! 

INTERNATIONAL

• Choices, Oryx Rotana Doha
• Corniche, Doha Marriott Hotel
• The Grill, Grand Hyatt Doha
• The Square, InterContinental Doha The City
• Crossroads Kitchen, Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha
• Pool Grill, Four Seasons Doha Hotel

ITALIAN

• Cucina, Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha
• Le Vesuvio, Katara
• La Veranda, Sheraton Doha
• Il Teatro, Four Seasons Hotel Doha
• Porcini, The Ritz-Carlton, Doha
• Rocca, Grand Hyatt Doha
• La Dolce Vita, Souq Waqif
• Lo Spaghetto
• The Italian Job, Radisson Blu Hotel Doha
• Carluccio’s, Various Locations
• The French Olive,

MEDITERRANEAN

• Sawa, Marsa Malaz Kempinski
• Aramede, Crowne Plaza Doha, The Business Park
• Mykonos, InterContinental Doha
• IDAM, MIA
• Casa Paco, The Pearl Qatar
• The Cellar, Oryx Rotana Doha
• Mamig, Katara

PATISSERIE

• Fauchon, Various Locations
• Angelina Paris, Gate Mall
• Laduree, Villagio Mall
• Chac’Late, Katara
• Chocolate Bar, The Pearl

CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN

• Market by Jean-Georges, W Doha
• Opal by Gordon Ramsay, The St. Regis Doha
• Aroma, Kempinski Residences & Suites
• 360, The Torch Doha
• The French Olive

MIDDLE EASTERN

• Al Liwan, Sharq Village & Spa
• Al Sultan Brahim, The St. Regis Doha
• Baraha, Zubarah Boutique Hotel
• Al Mourjan, Souq Waqif
• Majlis, Grand Hyatt Doha
• Burj Al Hammam, The Pearl Qatar
• Al Sayyad Restaurant, The Diplomatic Club
• Emirgan Sutiis

SEAFOOD

• Fish Market, InterContinental Doha
• L’Wzaar, Katara Cultural Village
• Pier 12, Radisson Blu Hotel
• Al Dana, Sharq Village & Spa
• Al Sanbouk Fish Market, Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels
• Al Maskar, Sheraton Doha
• Aziza, Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha
• Al Sayyad Restaurant, The Diplomatic Club

CHINESE

• Hakkasan, The St. Regis Doha
• Ruby Wu’s, Radisson Blu Hotel
• Chopsticks, Wyndham Grand Regency
• Tse Yang, The Pearl Qatar
• Chi’Zen, Oryx Rotana Doha

SOUTH EAST ASIAN

• Spice Market, W Doha
• Nusanto, Four Seasons
• Isaan, Grand Hyatt Doha
• Hwang, InterContinental Doha The City
• Asia Live!, Doha Marriott Hotel

LOUNGE

• The Cellar, Oryx Rotana Doha
• Vintage Lounge, The St. Regis Doha
• Strata, InterContinental Doha The City
• Crystal Lounge, W Doha
• Misturado, Crowne Plaza Doha, The Business Park
• The Lounge, Kempinski Residences & Suites
• Atrium Lounge, Sheraton Doha
• Sky Bar, La Cigale
• Glo Cocktail Bar, Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha

INDIAN

• Bombay Balti, Radisson Blu Hotel
• Taj Rasoi, Doha Marriott Hotel
• Asha’s, Villagio Mall
• Saffron Lounge, Katara
• Chingari, Radisson Blu
• Royal Tandoor, Souq Waqif

JAPANESE

• Sakura, Radisson Blu
• Yen Sushi Bar, La Cigale Hotel
• Sushi Minto 
• Megu Doha, The Pearl

NORTH AMERICAN

• Burgeri, Aspire Park
• Shake Shack, Various Locations
• CHILI’S, Various Locations
• Ric’s Kountry Kitchen

LATIN AMERICAN

• Oyster Bay & Bar, The St. Regis Doha
• Paloma, InterContinental Doha
• Ipanema, Marriot Marquis City Centre Doha
• Salsa, Doha Marriott Hotel
• Rodizio, Crowne Plaza Doha, The Business Park
• Caminito, Zubarah Boutique Hotel
• Latino Steakhouse, Sheraton Doha
• Pampano, The Pearl

STEAKHOUSE

• JW’s Steakhouse, Marriott Doha Hotel
• The Anvil Rooms, Tornado Tower
• Bentley’s Grill, Radisson Blu
• Prime, InterContinental Doha
• New York Steakhouse, Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha
• Astor Grill, The St. Regis Doha
• Latino Steakhouse, Sheraton Doha
• The Butcher Shop & Grill, Villagio Mall

ALL-DAY DINING

• Azraq, Banana Island Resort Doha
• Coral, InterContinental Doha
• The Seasons Restaurant, Movenpick Hotel Doha
• Mawasem, Hilton Doha
• The Grill, Grand Hyatt Doha
• W Café, W Doha
• Carluccio’s, Various Locations

CAFE

• Lime Tree Lobby Lounge, Movenpick Doha
• Al Jalsa, Sharq Village & Spa
• Café Murano, Marsa Malaz Kempinski
• Biscotti, Grand Hyatt
• Gourmet House, Kempinski Residences & Suites
• Red Velvet Cupcakery, Katara Cultural Village
• Angelina, Gate Mall

TEA ROOM

• Sarab Lounge, The St. Regis Doha
• Lobby Lounge, InterContinental Doha The City
• Kufic Lounge, Torch Doha
• Tea Lounge, InterContinental Doha
• Seasons Lounge, Four Seasons Hotel Doha
• Victoria Tea Lounge, Grand Heritage Doha
• Laduree, Villagio Mall
• Fauchon, Various Locations
• Argo Tea Café, Landmark Mall

COFFEE HOUSE

• Gloria Jean’s, Various Locations
• Quick Bites, Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha
• Starbucks, Various Locations
• Costa Coffee, Various Locations
• The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, City Centre Mall
• Emporio Armani, The Pearl
• Tim Hortons

IN-MALL

• Shakespeare & Co, Dar Al Salam Mall
• Paul Café, Various Locations
• Jones The Grocer, Gate Mall
• Nando’s, City Centre Mall
• Vapiano, Gate Mall
• Angelina Paris, The Gate Mall
• The Butcher Shop & Grill, Villagio Mall
• Biella
• The Noodle House,

FRIDAY BRUNCH

• The Lagoon, The Ritz-Carlton Doha
• Vine, The St. Regis Doha
• Choices, Oryx Rotana Doha
• Market by Jean-Georges, W Doha
• Ipanema, Marriott Marquis City Center Doha
• The Late Brunch, Doha Marriott Hotel
• Coral, InterContinental Doha

FAMILY-FRIENDLY FRIDAY BRUNCH

• The Square, InterContinental Doha The City
• Al Liwan, Sharq Village & Spa
• The Grill, Grand Hyatt Doha
• Seasons, Movenpick Hotel Doha
• Nusanto, Four Seasons Hotel Doha

NEWCOMER

• Riva, Banana Island Resort Doha
• Forknife, Movenpick Hotel
• El Faro, Marsa Malaz Kempinski
• Hwang, InterContinental Doha The City
• Paper Moon, Jaidah Square
• Signature by Sanjeev Kapoor, Melia
• Eatopia, Gate Mall
• The French Olive
• Nonna Zanon, West Bay
• Emirgan Suttis

LEBANESE

• Leila, Gate Mall
• Mamig, Katara
• Al Sultan Brahim, The St. Regis Doha
• Aziza, Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha
• Al Mourjan, Corniche
• Burj Al Hamam, The Pearl

SPANISH

• The Cellar, Oryx Rotana
• El Faro, Marsa Malaz Kempinski
• Aceite, Melia Doha
• Casa Paco, The Pearl
• Pampano, The Pearl
• Picasso, Radisson Blu

MOROCCAN

• Marrakech, Lagoona Mall
• Tajine, Souq Waqif
• Tangia, Wyndham Grand Regency Doha
• Argan, Souq Waqif

We look forward to finding out the winners at FACT Qatar’s Awards ceremony. We are especially interested to see who takes the Award for the ‘Newcomer’ and ‘In-Mall’ Cattegories.

Have you tried any of these restaurants and eateries? What did you think of your dining experience there? 

Do you have any favourites on the list? Who would you like to see win? Are there any venues you would have liked to see on the visit?

Check out Qatar Eating for further updates and restaurant reviews.